


I'll See You In Therapy

by Mykanos



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blood and Gore, Chris is a badass, Climbing Class, Comic Relief, Hurt/Comfort, I Don't Know Where This Is Going, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Build, Wendigos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-04-23 06:55:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4867337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mykanos/pseuds/Mykanos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On that night, Josh had lost the three most important people in his life. And only one withstands a year with the Wendigos.</p><p>A year makes the difference.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll See You In Therapy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, first, I don't know what I'm doing. Secondly-- ?? I'm sorry, this chapter is a mess. My brain vomited on a piece of paper and then I beat it up until it was somewhat readable.
> 
> Also one thing I'd like to point out, I call the Stranger 'Milgram' as in the Victor Milgram theory stated on the wiki. You know that wanted poster at the beginning of the game? That's where it's from. Although it most likely was a fake and Josh put it there as part of the prank. But I refer to him multiple times, and calling him a stranger wouldn't fit. And I feel like this fic idea probably has been done before but shh, I didn't type nearly three thousand words for nothing. -Not beta'd, mistakes are mine

 “ _Josh! Come on-- wake up!_ ” Beth’s urgent pleas rang through Chris’ foggy mind. He cracked open an eye, glancing at Josh’s sister who was desperately trying to shake her brother awake. Bad news for her is that Josh was always sort of a heavy sleeper, even more so with alcohol in his system.

  “Beth, what’s wrong?” Chris yawned, sitting up straight on his stool.

  “Hannah ran outside-- the others pranked her.” She snarled at the disgusting _joke_. “Dammit, Josh.” Beth gave up on her brother and instead ran out of the room.

  Chris couldn’t exactly think straight, but he knew his friends to be better than what Beth had said. Would his friends actually play a dirty prank on Hannah? He knew of Hannah’s crush on Mike, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. He wondered if his friends preyed on it, considering the infatuation was Hannah’s biggest motivator. It may have been just enough to drive her into the blistering cold. But if anything happened to either of Josh’s sisters, who knew what Josh would do. Josh was so close to them, and somebody had to look out for them if he wasn’t there. Chris decided he was the person to do it; that’s what best friends are for.

  Sure, the twins could defend for themselves. But Chris had a one-track mind as he stood from his chair. He paused to place a hand on Josh’s back, who gave a particularly loud snore. Following Beth’s path, he came to a conjuring of his friends standing at the steps of the lodge. He had to grasp the door frame to steady himself from a wave of nausea hitting him. The guilty faces stared at Beth, she looked pissed to hell and back.

  “You’re all jerks!” She yelled at them, turning and stomping away into the woods.

  “Should we go after her?” Mike suggested and earned a glare from Sam.

  “I think you’re the last person she wants to see right now, Mike.” She spat.

  “I’ll go after them.” Chris piped up. Everyone turned to face him like it was a crazy idea. He pushed himself away from the heat of the lodge and down the steps, a stumble or two noticeable in his walk.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Sam raised a brow at Chris’ posture. “You had a little much to drink.” Chris wondered why she seemed worried about him, rather than her best friend taking off into the forest alone. Although, Sam couldn’t have possibly been apart of the prank. It wasn’t in her nature to take advantage of weakness.

 “Someone has to, and-- and I don’t see any of you jumping to do it.” Chris remarked with a wave of his hands. The group adverted their eyes, and it left a bad taste in Chris’ mouth.

  “Here,” Ashley stepped forward, offering his heavy coat to him. “It’s cold out there.” Chris shrugged it on, feeling much warmer with it. He gave a small _thank you_ to her kindness, and then proceeded after Josh’s sisters.

  “It was just a joke!” He heard Emily shout before he went out of earshot.

Chris was lucky he had the footprints to guide him, Beth had been up here tons more than him. He wished that he had his phone as he nearly trails off into the dark several times despite the clear pathway.

  “Beth?” He called as he stumbled through the snow. “Hann--AH!” Chris shrieked as the path suddenly cuts off to a ledge. Too late to climb down, but perfect to fall on his backside. “Damn,” He hisses to himself. Chris picked himself up, dusting the snow off his pants before they got soaked.

  The twins couldn’t have gone much farther. Or that’s what Chris told himself to keep going. And he was right.

  Screams reverberated from the trees. Awful, panicked screams of the sisters. The effects of the alcohol dwindled as each foot touches the ground, eventually breaking into a sprint. He ended up busting a knee from tripping over a root, but brushed off the throbbing pain and continued.

  “Hannah?! Beth?!” He chanted. _Be okay, be okay_ , raced through his thoughts. He yelled for them again between the shortness of his breath, and again. Chris halted, coming to a clearing, but seeing neither of the two sisters. Instead he had to shake his head, wondering if what he saw was real or the booze was playing tricks on him.

  A creature with freakishly lanky limbs had it’s back to Chris. It’s staring down another person he doesn't recognize, partly due to that his face is covered to protect it from the stinging cold, or something else entirely. Chris skims past that because the unknown person is brandishing some kind of weapon at the creature.

  “Stay back!” The stranger yells, seemingly to Chris rather than the monster. Though it causes the thing to whip it’s head back. Pale eyes, tangled teeth. Chris takes a step backward out of instinct. The pinnacle of nightmares lets out a animalistic screech and flexes it claws. It looked ready to pounce, and despite whether is was going to, it wasn’t given the chance.

  A loud screech pierces the brittle air, flames engulf the creature as it tries to escape. Chris can’t stand the sight nor the heat, he shields his face behind his hands. If only he had enough hand to cover his ears too.

  He doesn’t dare to peak until he’s sure that the thing is dead. And the cry soon dissipates until it is quiet once more. Chris’ hands rake up his head to grab at his hair, he feels sick at the sight of the charred creature lying in a puddle of melted snow.

  “Holy shit,” he whimpers. But it’s over.

  A heavy breath blows across Chris’ face, bringing the stench of death with it.

  _No, it’s not._

  


\---

  


  Chris remembers his first encounter with a Wendigo like the back of his hand. Every time he’s left alone, thinking, dozing off… Makkapitew is there. Waiting for him like he vulnerable every time his mind wanders. Chris tries to keep himself busy to the point of exhaustion so his dreams are nothingness. It wasn’t always to escape just the Wendigo though.

  It’s been so long and lonely without his friends, someone who got his humor or understood him. Milgram, the stranger that had saved his life multiple times, was his only hope of socialization. He loved the old man like a father, but he didn’t go running his mouth about what’s been bothering him almost constantly. Chris had kept telling himself that he’d see his _peanut gallery_ again soon. But days turned into weeks and then months, and the lingering feeling lived through a small wish.

  Chris’ fingers weaved through the fur carpet he rested on top of. He tried to distract himself with the ticklish fur against his hand, or the slightly uncomfortable heat from the fireplace nipping at his cheeks.

  What else was there to think about? He had lost interest in anything that didn’t have anything to do with him dying by Wendigo or the well-being of friends and family in his absence. They must think he’s dead. They must have had a funeral for him, and for Hannah and Beth.

  _Josh._ Chris could feel his stomach curl at just the mention of his best friend. Because not only did he lose his two sisters, but the person who knew him best. Chris couldn’t bare the thought of Josh blaming himself. If anything, it was Chris’ clumsiness to blame. Josh also had no clue that Chris was still up on the mountain. Alive and breathing for the months since Chris and the twins had been caught in the middle of Milgram and the Wendigo. And what really ate at Chris: if he was to ever see Josh again, he’d have to tell him about his sisters. How could he break it to him that one of his sisters literally ate the other because she had been driven mad by the spirits?

  “Christopher,” Finally, Milgram had come to his rescue yet again. The intrusive thoughts scatter for now.

  “Sup, gramps?” Chris rolled over on his back to stare up at the old man. Milgram rolled his eyes at the nickname. “Going out?” He asked, seeing that Milgram had all his gear on.

  “I need to check the Sanitorium: reset the traps and see if any of the others got out too.” Milgram confirms. Normally, Chris would go with him on these trips. But a certain mischievous Wendigo had broken out of its cell and had almost broken Chris’ left arm before it disappeared into the forest. Milgram had Chris stay behind while he was recovering. Two days have passed, already Chris was getting stir-crazy. He can’t can’t tire himself out from mundane house tasks anymore.

  “Anything you want me to do while you’re gone?” Chris taps his stomach in boredom. “Preferably something that takes two legs and just an arm.” He adds with a smile.

  “Re-wrap your arm.” Milgram squints at the bloody bandage around Chris’ forearm that hasn’t been changed since yesterday. Chris didn’t want to go through the pain of disinfecting it, but nods anyway. “And the icebox needs more ice.”

  “That’s all?” Chris questions, hoping that there was more to do.

  “There ain’t much you can do with two legs and just an arm, son.” Milgram shrugs with a shake of his head, knowing Chris’ disappointment. “Keep watch then; I’ve seen signs that a Wendigo has been in the area.”

  “On it,” Chris gives a thumbs up from his position on the ground. Milgram musters the best smile he can, returning the thumbs up. He makes leeway toward the front door, grabbing his flamethrower hanging off to the side.

  “Don’t do something stupid while I’m gone.” He raises a brow at Chris, opening the squeaky door. He definitely is aware of Chris’ restlessness of being trapped inside.

  “I promise the cabin will still be here when you get back. Whether it be in one piece or burning down-- now that, I can’t tell you.” Chris cheekily remarked with a grin. Milgram shook his head, pulling his bandana over his mouth and nose and took to the cold.

  Chris let out a sigh after the thud of the door, reveling the silence for once. He pushed himself to his knees, stoked the fire, and then went to the bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet above the sink, taking a roll of gauze and a tube of antibiotics from the shelves. Letting the tap run, he carefully peeled away the dirty bandage. The sight of the long claw marks running from his elbow to wrist made Chris a bit uneasy; It still looked fairly fresh even after two days. He rinsed the dried blood away under the freezing water, then again with soap. Now, the fun part.

  “Fuck, fuck. Oh, my f-fuck!” Chris howled in pain as he smeared the antibiotic cream into the wound. Good thing Milgram wasn’t around to hear him.

  Minutes after that hell, he re-bandaged his arm and cleaned up. He caught a glimpse of his face in the cabinet mirror: the ragged hair, dark bags hanging under his eyes, the deep crack of his right glasses lens. Blackwood Mountain had worn on him. Chris didn’t consider himself the same person, because he certainly didn’t feel like the same person.

  Across the hall, he went into his own room. Small, but not nearly a humble abode back home. No posters or items to personalize, just a bed and a desk. Chris started not to take notice of the depressing room the more time he spent in it.

  Upon the desk was a pink phone and a car battery which Chris rigged to charge the phone until the generator was working again. He unplugged the phone, swiping his thumb across the screen to unlock it. A picture of Hannah and Beth was set as the background. Of course it wasn’t his, he had left his back at the lodge. He stumbled across Beth’s phone when he returned to the scene of the crime, the place the twins had been cornered to their downfall. 

  Chris believed in privacy even if Beth wasn’t around, or most of the time. That’s why he never went through her texts, but couldn’t stop himself looking at her photos. He didn’t find ‘personal’ pictures per se. He only wanted to see his friends together, even if the photos were quite old by now. The one where all of them were bunched up on the steps of their high school graduation in robes was Chris’ favorite. He brought up the picture again just to relive it.

  “ _Smile, Cochise!_ ” Josh yelled directly in Chris’ ear while he hung off Josh’s and Sam’s shoulder. He winced as Beth snapped the picture at that moment, causing him to have a funny look embedded on his face.

  Chris couldn’t resist a grin. He turned off the phone and slipped it into his jeans pocket. He figured he spent enough time lounging around, also that fridge wasn’t going to stay cold forever.

  He trekked down the hall to the kitchen, stopping at a rusty fridge, or icebox as Milgram liked to call it. In the Canadian weather, they could probably just throw it outside to stay cool, but neither of them wanted to attract a bear or something worse. Chris pried open the door, noticing a lack of cold air flowing from it. The shelves only harbored food that Milgram trapped, exclusively just meat all around. Chris’ appetite might go vegetarian after this experience. 

  That’s when Chris heard the tapping. A irregular clinking at what seemed to be the window right to Chris. He thought it might be a branch in the wind hitting the glass, but it became louder still. Closing the fridge, he cautiously stepped toward the window.

  “Chris!” A muffled shout came from outside. Did he hear that right? Milgram left a while ago, although there was no way he would be back this early.

  “Chris!” This time it was clearer, and it sounded like…

  “Josh?” Chris breathed. Josh didn’t know about this place, did he? It was his mountain, he could have-- Chris shakes his head. He was letting his guard down, something that shouldn’t happen on this mountain.

  “Chris!” Josh’s voice repeats, sounding closer than ever. Best case scenario, maybe it was Josh. Maybe he had never stopped searching for his missing best friend, and now he’s found Chris and will welcome him back with open arms. There was no way he’d convince himself that this deceiving idea was actually true. 

  Chris catches his breath, going stiff immediately. Worst case scenario.

  A pale creature pops it’s ugly head up, inches from the other side of the window. Its dead eyes stare directly at Chris. The Wendigo flashes it incessantly sharp teeth as it surveys for movement within the cabin. Luckily, Chris has had his share of practicing the art of being a statue.

  Unable to pick up a trace, the Wendigo gives a tremendous scream in hopes of driving its prey to move. Chris repressed a shudder as his eardrums ring. On the off chance, this could be the same Wendigo that escaped. The one with the butterfly tattoo. 

  The Wendigo comes up short and it becomes uninterested to further stalk Chris and dives back to the cover of the trees. It moved too quickly for Chris to get a look at its shoulder, but he was almost sure that this was the one he’s after.

  Chris waits some minutes in case the Wendigo stuck around, and then relaxes his muscles.

  He finds it obscure to have a Wendigo luring him by calling his name, especially in Josh’s voice. It must have picked it up from hearing Josh, there was no other way. Milgram had told him that Wendigos don’t retain memories of being human. Chris tightened his fists. _What if it got to him?_ He felt like he was going to throw up. None of them should have come back.

  He can’t stop himself from charging into his room, putting on his sweater and heavy coat in a rush. Milgram isn’t going to be happy with him. Although he isn’t thinking about consequences right now as he covers his mouth with a handkerchief and straps clunky goggles over his glasses. At least he had some sense of safety.

  On his desk lays his weapon of choice, a flamethrower. The old thing had been passed down to Chris, the weight of it on his back had become familiar.

  Out on the snowy deck of the cabin, Chris shuts the door behind him. He was going through with this half-baked plan. And he wouldn’t leave Milgram without a clue to where he’s gone, he’s left a note in the kitchen. That old man worried too much-- maybe he had a right to.

  Chris paused to take in his surroundings. The snowfall was basically a blizzard, and it was going to be pitch black out in a matter of an hour or so. This wasn’t a good idea. He could go back inside. But something in his gut told him to do it; he wasn’t sure what it wanted him to do. All he knew was that the Blackwood Lodge was his next destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A year on the mountain, Chris becomes a smol Milgram...
> 
> I don't like smooshing tons backstory in any chapters. 'Cause quite frankly, I'm not a big fan of hearing about what happened to them, I'm more concerned of what's currently happening to them-- but that's me. Chris wouldn't stay up on that mountain with no wifi without a fight and I'll give you more on that story sooner or later.
> 
> (If I write anymore, count on weekly stuff because I'm still getting back in the motion)
> 
> [My Tumblr](http://iigoeyei.tumblr.com/) (http://iigoeyei.tumblr.com/) if you're interested. I'm a bit inactive on it posting-wise, but I draw stuff too


End file.
